


Baseball

by LittleSweetCheeks



Category: Madam Secretary
Genre: Baseball, Family, Gen, Mom - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29472837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleSweetCheeks/pseuds/LittleSweetCheeks
Summary: They're her boys, no matter what anyone else might think.
Comments: 24
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

“Nadine? Have you seen Matt?”

From her armchair, Nadine looked over the top of the briefing in her hands at her boss. “I believe he and Jay went to lunch. Do you need him?”

Elizabeth sighed. “I do. Any idea where they went?”

It was a bit of a silly question, they never failed to stop by her office on the way out and today she hadn’t missed what they’d been carrying. Closing the folder, she put it on the ottoman and placed her feet on the floor. “I can go fetch him.”

“Would you?”

She stood. “Of course. Give me just a few minutes.” She watched Elizabeth nod and leave as she made her way to her desk, opening a bottom drawer and pulling something out before heading for the elevators. She knew exactly where Matt and Jay went during lunch when the weather was nice and time was available.

The building was designed with open courtyards tucked within the structure, secure outdoor spaces they could enjoy without having to bother with going through security again and again. Most of the courtyards were fitted out with trees and varieties of flowers and plants but one, for whatever reason, was little more than plain concrete and a few benches. The one tree that used to grow there had been removed a number of years ago and the lack of shade meant very few people ever used the space.

Jay and Matt used it to toss around a baseball.

Pushing open the exterior door, Nadine watched them play catch for a minute, a gentle smile on her face. She wasn’t eager to interrupt their down time, but the Secretary needed Matt back.

“Matt.”

He hesitated, ball in hand, and then wilted. “Aw, man!”

His childish whine amused her more than anything. She started walking across the courtyard. “I’m sorry, you’re needed back upstairs.”

“But! League season is starting soon!”

“I know.” She put her hand out, accepting his mitt and the ball. “You go up, I’ll make sure Jay gets his practice in.” When he grumbled again, she chuckled, patting his back as he shuffled away. “We can find time later if you want.” When he turned back, she eyed him with amusement as she pulled the baseball cap she’d pulled for her drawer down on her head. The cap bore the logo of the State Department softball team.

“Yeah, okay.”

As he walked away, she pushed her hand into Matt’s mitt and crossed to where he’d been standing across from Jay. “Ready?”

Jay smacked his glove with a laugh. “Let’s do this.”

The baseball felt comfortable in her hand. She bounced it a little before gripping it, throwing it straight to him. The first time she’d played catch with Jay, and then Matt, they’d been surprised at her abilities. Eventually, she’d admitted that her parents had been quite into baseball and she and her sister had grown up playing on leagues. She couldn’t run bases anymore, but she could still toss a ball around.

“You going to support the team again this year?” Jay eventually asked as he tossed the ball to her.

She tossed it back. “Of course.” She loved going to the games and cheering them on.

“I’ll get you the schedule once it comes out.” His next toss had her reaching a bit to grab it.

“A bit wide there, Jay. You can do better than that.”

Jay laughed. “You are such a sports mom, you know that?”

“I just want my boys to be the best you can be.” She threw the ball back, a bit harder than before.

He made a mock yelp. “Hey! No fastballs!”

“I’ll show you a fastball.”

He nodded. “I’m sure you would. We’d been talking, before you came down, about going to the cages this weekend.” He let it hang, question unasked.

She knew what he was asking anyway. “I’d love to come.” She checked her watch. “We need to be heading back.”

Jay tossed the ball one last time and then walked to her, falling into step as she pulled her hat off and headed for the door, fluffing her hair back into place. “Maybe you could take a few swings and remind Matt how it’s done.”

She looked up at him as he held the door for her. On occasion she didn’t mind taking a few passes with a bat. “Maybe I will.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Come on! Do we need to switch you to a shovel?” Jay jeered from outside the fence, nearly doubling over with laughter when Matt managed a single-handed gesture in response before just chipping the baseball, sending it sharply off course. “You gone soft on me, Matt! Next thing you’ll be skipping practice to sing with Blake.”

“Oi!” Blake stopped at Jay’s side, shoving a tortilla chip filled with fake nacho cheese sauce into his mouth as he spoke around it somewhat indignantly. “Nothing wrong with knowing how to sing!” His eyes landed on Matt as he missed another ball. “He couldn’t really be any worse at it than swinging that bat.”

Huffy at being picked on, Matt turned, tossing his arms out. “I swing just fine!” When they both snickered immaturely, he rolled his eyes and turned back, managing to crack the next ball perfectly straight. “See!”

“Lucky shot!” They both cried.

“Why are you picking on him?”

The soft and slightly amused voice made them both jump and whirl around. Blake lost grip on the little plastic tray holding the nachos and cheese and, before he could restabilize it, it crashed top side down onto the pavement. “My nachos!” He pouted.

Nadine looked down, there was a small spot of cheese on her boot, but she said nothing about it. “It wasn’t good for you anyway.” When he didn’t move, she verbally nudged him. “Go get something to clean up your mess.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” He whispered, rushing off to get some napkins.

“Now Matt-” She brought her attention back to the batting cage. “What’s the problem tonight?”

He shrugged.

“Try again, I want to see you.” She encouraged.

“But… It’s my turn now.” Jay pointed at his own chest.

“And you were being mean to him instead of helping him.”

“Guys don’t help other guys, we heckle them.”

She arched a brow and watched as he tried to take that comment back.

=

“Shh!” Blake hushed the other two. “You’re distracting.”

There was a pause and then Matt responded anyway at a whisper. “For you or for her? Because I’m pretty sure she’s an expert at ignoring us.”

A baseball cracked hard against wood, sending it as a line drive low and fast to the back of the cage.

“Wow.” Jay leaned against the fence, always impressed.

Another ball came out and another crack, this time sending it high.

“I need to practice more.” Matt admitted.

“Tired of being outdone by a girl?” Jay slapped his shoulder.

“A girl half my size and twice my age? Yes.” The next ball fouled hard, crashing into the fence just about face level, making him yelp and jump back. He looked up to find brown eyes staring hard into him. “I’m sorry!” To Blake and Jay, he muttered. “She fouled that on purpose.”

Blake was laughing already. “I know. Pretty impressive, if you ask me.”


	3. Chapter 3

Stealing another handful out of Blake’s box of Cracker Jacks, Nadine went back to watching the game. Their team was playing well this year, had defeated the White House team twice so far and the Senate B-team, the one that included almost every voice in the appropriations committee. It felt good knocking them down a peg or three on the diamond.

Jay hit a double and she launched to her feet to cheer him on as he ran, adding a jump when he made a break for it to take third as well. Fingers gripped the side of her shirt and tugged her back. She turned, grinning down at Blake. “He almost pulled off a home run!”

“You almost pulled off a broken neck.” When she didn’t sit, he didn’t turn loose.

“Matt should be next at bat.” As he appeared from the dugout, she lifted her hat off, combing her hair back a bit before resettling the hat in place. “He better make it good so Jay can get home. He’s the third out otherwise.” She turned, stealing more of the snack.

“Jay’s fast, all he needs is for Matt to not send it his way.” He paused. “Or foul it.”

“He won’t foul it… He better not foul it. He fouls it and he’ll remember but quick that Jay does run fast.”

Blake snickered.

Matt swung once and got a strike, Nadine winced. From their seats she could see annoyance on Jay’s face. Matt swung again, another strike. “He can do it.” She then shouted encouragement down to the field. The third swing connected, sending the ball high into the outfield. Jay didn’t hesitate running as fast as he could to make it home while Matt rounded first and headed for second.

“He shouldn’t have done that.” Blake commented.

“He can make it. Run Matt!” She started jumping again as the hand tightened in her shirt. Matt made it safely to second and she settled down. “Who’s up next?” She reached for the box in Blake’s other hand again.

He pulled it away. “Only if you sit. And Emily from East Asia desk is after Matt.”

“If she can get Matt home, we could have a chance of winning today.”

“It’s not Emily’s skills I doubt in that.” When she tried to reach again for the box, he held it out away from her. “No.”

“I don’t know why you even buy a big box, you never eat more than a few.”

“Inducements.” When she started to complain, he pointed to the field. “Emily’s up.”

Emily hit the ball nearly over the fence and Nadine launched to her feet again, cheering both runners on as Matt made it home with Emily hot on his heels for a homer. Arms thrown in the air, she screamed in joy, jumping up and down. Their runs would certainly land State in the playoffs. Jumping again, her foot moved, upsetting her balance and sending her careening forward, hands outstretched, as she braced for impact down the bleachers.

Before she could even process that someone had her, she was being yanked back onto the seat, am arm staying firmly around her waist now as the Cracker Jacks were shoved into her hands. “Sit. Don’t stand again. Eat your snacks.”

She stared at Blake a full three seconds.

He smirked. “Or we go back to sitting at the bottom.”


	4. Chapter 4

Her heart had broken about it, but she’d had to miss the championship game for work reasons. They’d kept her updated, inning by inning, and then had bombarded her with celebratory messages when the team had won. After that, her phone had gone quiet and she’d gone back to work.

It was hours later, after eleven at night, when she stepped out of a cab onto the street outside a bar. Through other channels, she’d heard the guys had spent the evening celebrating there and she wanted to check on them.

Entering the dim bar, it wasn’t hard to find them in amongst the other players, all of them rowdy and more than a little drunk. Finding Matt first, she tapped his arm.

Matt looked over and then down, lighting up. “Nadine!” He wrapped her in a hug before she could stop him and took her clear off her feet in a hug. “We won!”

“I heard.” When he put her feet back on the ground, she patted his arms. “Where are the others?”

“Oh! Uh… Darts.”

She looked around but couldn’t see through the crowd. “Come on, show me.”

He willingly abandoned his teammates to help her find Jay and Blake on the far side of the bar. “Look who’s here!” Matt called out over the noise.

She received equally gregarious greetings from the equally drunk pair. “Are you lot ready to go home?”

“One more round?” Jay pleaded.

She looked him over. “Not tonight. But if you boys come willingly, I’ll let you have a nightcap before you fall asleep.”

The all exchanged looks and then nodded, following her to the door. “And food?” Matt asked.

Nadine chuckled. “Of course I have food.”

=

Nadine leaned against the counter by her stove and sipped her tea, watching over the rim. Sitting around her island, freshly showered and in sleep pants and t-shirts, were the guys. They each had a bowl of ice cream, opting in the end to forgo a nightcap, while they talked and joked between themselves.

She loved being on the periphery when they were like this. They’d already helped themselves to blankets so they could all sleep in her living room as if they really were nothing more than boys having a sleep over. Tonight it had been ice cream that she’d made for them and tomorrow morning it would be breakfast, unless they were up first. If that happened, then they’d make breakfast for her.

A peanut hit Blake in the ear, having been flicked across the counter off Matt’s spoon. Blake made an indignant noise and flicked one of his own back, bouncing off the lens of Matt’s glasses.

Before they could devolve into a food fight… again… she cleared her throat. “That’s enough for tonight. Time for bed.”

Matt gave an obligatory whine, making the other two laugh. “We’ll wash up, don’t worry.” He carried his bowl to the sink, hugging her nicely this time. “Good night.”

Nadine was ready to bid him good night as well, but Blake and Jay were instantly there to hug her as well. “Good night to all of you. Behave and get some sleep.” She placed her mug in the sink and slipped into her bedroom.

Through the closed door, she could just pick up the murmurs of their voices. A soft smile slipped onto her face as she settled into bed, listening to her boys settle down.


End file.
